The US laid out its strongest push yet to reshape global critical minerals supply chains at the inaugural Critical Mineral Ministerial in Washington on Wednesday February 4, where senior officials detailed plans for an allied trade bloc built on reference prices and enforceable price floors – a potential turning point for small, strategically important markets such as tungsten.

A new US initiative to establish a stockpile of critical minerals for the civilian economy could add pressure to already stretched supply, market participants told Fastmarkets on Tuesday February 3 and Wednesday February 4.

In 2026, the North American wood products industry enters a year of cautious stabilization.

The proposal to increase the publication frequency from monthly to weekly comes amid increased volatility of copper on the London Metal Exchange, while copper scrap discounts have been shifting on a more regular basis. This more frequent assessment will enable Fastmarkets to reflect market dynamics in a timelier manner, as well as capture more spot […]

Fastmarkets has corrected its assessments for Shanghai bonded nickel stocks on January 30.

Here are the key takeaways from market participants on US ferrous scrap metal prices, market confidence, inventory and more from our February survey.

Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for its PIX Pulp China Net indices as part of its announced annual methodology review process.

Fastmarkets is inviting feedback from the industry on the counterparty weighting in the copper concentrates treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) index, as well as observed shifts in spot market activity and the impact of byproduct credits on pricing dynamics.

The publication of Fastmarkets’ AG-WHE-0004 Wheat 10.5% FOB Australia W APW, AG-WHE-0005 Wheat 9.5% FOB Australia W ASW and AG-BRY-0001 Barley feed barley FOB Australia assessments for February 2 was delayed due to a technical reason. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.

Indonesia’s palm oil exports in December reached 2.62 million tonnes, according to data from cargo surveyor Intertek Testing Services (ITS), with the figure comprising exports of palm oil and its derivatives, palm kernel oil and oleochemicals.